Flexible gear



Dec. 13, 1927.

1,652,520 G. M. EATON FLEXIBLE GEAR Filed Jan. 2, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR fieorge/l fafon WITNESSES: l mam G. M. EATON FLEXIBLE GEAR Filed Jan. 2, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 31 I I x :5;

g iiiii'i WITNESSES: V INVENTOR w 3 H9 4: I r I ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 13, 1927.

T PATENT, .oFFiCEL;

GEORGE M. na'romon WILKINS-BURG, PENNSYLVANIA AssmNon To WESTINGHOUSE nnncrnro aMA orAcrnm sooMrANY, acomeonarron' or rENNsYLvANIA.

. FLEXIBLE GEAR;

Application Sfiled January 2, 1924. I Serial No. 683,912.

My. invention relates. to flexible elements and, more particularly; to lfieilx'ible. elements 7 Y utlllzed in gear-wheels andn.method of. as:

sembling. the same.

' to. provide. a flexible device. in the form of a unitary structure. thatmay, be. embodied as an standardj element in flexible. gear: WhBEl'S OI th B like,-,which shall be of simprovide. a: flexible gear, element for use: in

gear-wheel structures. of the 3 type in which,

the riinmember is spherically movable relativeto its'supportingQhub', the flexible elementbeing especially adapted to;. fit into a recessed portion of the spider, and the en tiregear element-being designed'to provide adequate lubrication.v for the. relatively movable parts,

In. my. copending appli cation;v Serial .No. 683,369 filed Dec. 29, .1923, 1 have described a flexible gear; element embodying a, spring. member. compris ng afcageb ring having spring leaves securedtherein by wedges to constituteaunltary structure.

Myv present application. is'directed to. such a spring element, but which difiers from the cage-ring, structurev in that. the retaining ring. does not carry 7 the spring elements, but

is secured? thereto by a shrinkfitsupple mentedbywelding. \Vith thisv type of,con'

struction,fit is possiblef to maintain equal] widthsofthe spring members andithe retaining ring,- which :requir'es ,lessf spacefin."v therim spider. of the gearwheeh My: pres; p I

nsure uniform distribution of the clamping v ent structure. further lends-.itself'toa, more eflicient processof' manufacture thanhas been/possible heretofore.

Inthe accompanying ing a part hereof and in which like refer.-

ence charactersdesignatelike parts,

Figure l is a View partially'in section and partially in elevation, of a fragmentary portion of a flexible element embodying the principles of my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional and elevational View of the spring element secured in an assembly jig; 1

It. is among the, objects of my: invention ing internal [lugs drawings constitute Fig. a view partially 'in. section and" partiallyin elevation, of a fragmentary portion of the spring element showing there: taining ring member secured in place; and

Fig. 4 is atransverse cross-sectional View, of a' gear-wheel embodying thespring element, which, is mounted intermediate the. rim and"hub,member's.

Referring to Fig. 2, I pi'ovideanassemr. bly jig comprising a flanged base 1, having ahub'portion 2 with a central ,opening3 therein adapted to receive, a shaft orfpinI openings 6 for receiving clamping, bolts. 7, as hereinafter set forth. A: flange ring 8,. having slotted openings 9, is provided" With -The base, 1 further. embodies a plurality off I integral bosses 5, which areprovidedfwitlr a circumferential flange 8a,- whichis secured tothefianged portion of the base 1;by cap, screws 10, the slots9 being alternatelywide and narrow, as shown in Fig. 1. Thebase l is further provided with.axially extendi 11, I which function, as v spacers for a pluralityfof spring elements 12 that are assembled in clusters and are of varying'lengtlis. v i

A plurality ofv wide and} narrow wedges.

corresponding openings 9 'to retain the Yspringj'clusters 12 "in their pro-per position, in line with the spacers llcand the-flange ringQ8. The. unslotted portion of the ring 13 and.14,,1espective1 ,are disposed in the l 8 is of slightly.lessjthickiiess than the corresponding dimension or the spring clus- 'ters: to permitithe Wedges 13 and 14"to take;

effect in securing the spring members.

The Wedgemembers 1'3 and .14 are gradually driven inwardly to clamp'th-e springs 12. this liesult being accomplished "i ening, the wedges'uniformly all around to action on the-springmembers.' A clamping plate 16; substantially.similar in form; to the base plate 1, is disposed on theassembled spring elements and securedby the; clamping bolts 7 The flange rii g 8 is thereupon removed and the entire jig is mounted in a suitable grinding device for circle grinding the outer. periphery of the spring 1 wedge elements to permanently secure them r in place, and the assembled structure may then be removed from the jig and welded at the joints 18 to permanently secure the spring, wedge, and ring elements.

The assembled spring element may be assembled in a flexible gear otthe type embodying a hub member 19 having a substan tially spherically-curved seating surface 20 and a central flange or rim portion 21, which is provided with slotted openings 22 for receiving the spring elements 12. A gear rim 23, having a toothed outer periphery ii, is shrunk on a pair of spiders which are positioned on the respective sides of the spring elements. The spiders severally have seating flanges oi complementary shape to the spherically-curved portion :30 of the hub 19 to thus co-operatively engage the same. This engagement of the spiders and hub is a bearing lit, to permit relative movement thereof.

The flexible spring element is disposed between the spiders 25, as shown in Fig. l, the ring member 17 having a bearing lit with the gear rim 23 and with the spiders to permit relative movement thcrebetween. A plu rality olremovable lingers .26 are secured in openings 27 ot' the spider to effect co-operative engagement of the latter with the spring elements l2; or the lingers Qt; may be integral with the spider 25. A main journal 29 supports the hub 19, which is further sooured to an axle 2550 by a press-lit, or in any other suitable manner. Lubrication is provided through ports 81 to the curved seating surfaces of the hub and spider.

As a modification of the engagement oi? the spring elements 12 in the openings 22 of the hub 19, I may provided a plurality of openings in the latter, which are adapted to receive pin members 33, for engaging said springs.

This type of gear construction permits of relative axial misalinement oi' the gear rim and its supporting hub, which is utilized to advantage in drive mechanisms where the driving and driven shafts are subjectto such misalinement, for the purpose of maintaining constant proper tooth engagementof the meshing gear-wheels.

It is evident, from the foregoing description of my invention, that flexible spring ele ments made in accordance therewith will provide simple and eilicient structures tor flexible gear-wheels that are especially applicable to drive mechanisms of electrical railway vehicles, although their use is obviously not limited thereto.

Although I have described a specific embodiment of my invention, it will be ob vious to those skilled in the art that various modifications ma be made in the details of construction wit iout departing from the principles herein set forth.

1 claim as my invention l l. A flexible element comprising a ring, a plurality of spring elements and spacing wedges for said elements, said ring being shrunk on said springs and wedges.

.3. A flexible clement comprising a ring, a plurality of spring elements and spring wedges for said elements, said ring bein shrunk and welded on said springs an wedges.

3. A flexible element comprising a gear rim, a hub therefor, a spider engaging said hub and a spring element disposed in said spider, said element comprising a ring, a plurality olf springs and spacing wedges,

constituting a unitary structure.

a. A flexible clement comprising a gear rim, a hub therefor, a spider engagingsaid hub and a spring element disposed in said spider, said element comprising a ring, a

plurality ol' springs of substantially the same axial width as the ring and spacing wedges,

constituting a unitary structure.

A flexible element comprising a gear.

rim, a hub having a substantially spherically-curved seating surface, a spider having a complementary shaped seating surface to co operatively engage said hub, and a spring element comprising a plurality of symmetrically disposed radially extending springs, spacing wedges therefor and a ring of substantially the same axial width as said cooperatively engage said hub, and a spring element comprising aplurality of symmetri- 'ally disposed radially extending of substantially the same axial width as said sprin shrunk thereon, said ring being an leaf , leaf springs, spacmg wedges therefor and a ring gularly movable relatively to said gear rim,]

and said springs being co-operatively en gagcd with said hub and gear rim. 1

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 22nd day of De cember, 1923.

GEORGE M. EATON. 

